The Dragon Lands
by VeiledElegance
Summary: Rin has waited and trained for ten longs years to be able to travel with her lord again. What will happen when she hears about Sesshomaru's plans to conquer the Northern Lands? *A Post-Cannon short story* - *I do not own Inuyasha or any of the characters in it. I just love to write stories about them.*
1. Chapter 1

*This is my first fanfiction so I apologize if anything seems a little far-fetched or information does not perfectly match the Inuyasha story line. Some things have been changed or made up to fit my story. Thanks for readying!*

*Updated this chapter to better clarify Rin's mysterious demon powers. Will update with the new chapter soon!*

"Barrage!" Rin shouted as she released a single arrow from her bow. The single arrow then separated into ten arrows. A little farther on, those ten arrows turned into a hundred arrows before all landing on the wide target set out for her to practice.

"You are getting very good with the long bow, Rin." Kaede said as she watched. Rin's happy face turned to Kaede and smiled.

"I can't wait to show Lord Sesshomaru!" She said excitedly. Rin had just turned eighteen. She had gone from an adorable eight-year-old girl, to a beautiful woman with attractive features. Her legs had grown longer and her thighs had become thicker. Her hips were wider and more suitable for child rearing. Her jet black hair fell to her thighs, flipping out as it did when she was younger. Her brown eyes sparkled in the sunlight, reflecting her joyful attitude and positive outlook. Her slender body and ample bosom made her a favorite in the village. She had been asked for her hand in marriage several times over, but always refused, saying that she wasn't planning on staying. She was going to go with Lord Sesshomaru when he returned to her.

She spent almost all of her time training with her spiritual energy and her bow. Kaede and Kagome had trained her well and she was skilled enough to be a Miko, though she would never wish for that position. She would go off on her own, killing nearby demons that threatened the village without any help from Inuyasha or the others. Rin also carried two Kodachi that were named the Dragon Fangs.

Kaede and Kagome never got a real answer about the two short swords that Rin carried with her at all times. She practiced with them every day, but they had no idea how she learned to use them or how it was even possible. The two swords belonged to a dragon demon from the Northern Lands. She had been cast out and chased down, left to die in the forest outside the village. Rin saw her and saved her life, much like she tried to do for Sesshomaru, but this time she was older and smarter and knew how to at least bandage a demon up. As a reward for saving her, the woman gave up her demonic powers and weapons for Rin to use. The demonic power was stored in two markings on Rin, one on each wrist, and it allowed her to use the swords properly and to their full advantage. The woman trained Rin in secret for two years before the dragon demons discovered her location; she left before teaching her the final secret of the pair of dragon fang Kodachi, but told Rin to keep training hard with them. Rin did not know why the demon gave up her powers or who she was hiding from, but she assumed the less demonic power she had, the less chance she had for getting caught.

Rin looked at her barrage of arrows that decorated the target. She smiled, _"I'll prove to you I can be of use, Lord Sesshomaru. I promise!"_ she thought to herself. The last time Sesshomaru visited, she asked if she could go with him. It was about three years ago now, right before she obtained the swords. "You are not strong enough to go where I'm going." He said coldly.

"But I've had so much training. I know I can be of use to you Lord Sesshomaru!" She had begged.

"Why would he want a despicable human traveling with him in demon lands anyway?" Jaken had said as he threw his chin to the air.

Rin steamed and was about to argue with Jaken, but Kaede had cut her off. "You still need more training, Rin. I happen to remember a run in with a demon yesterday that caught you quite off guard."

Sesshomaru glanced at the old woman. He assumed she would know Rin's capabilities best, for they were both humans.

"Rin." Sesshomaru said. "If you cannot defeat the weak demons living here, then you won't stand a chance where I'm going."

_"He must be doing something really dangerous. He always took me with him and kept me safe when I was a girl. Maybe he just didn't want to deal with me anymore. Maybe he left me here so I wouldn't be in his way." _Rin shook her head, erasing the memory. _"I'll show them all that I'll be strong enough. I hope he visits me soon." _She thought.

"Rin!" Kagome called from across the meadow. "Come have dinner with us!"

Rin smiled and started running towards the homes. Once inside Kagome's home, she saw the large group of people assembled. Kaede was helping Sango and the twins prepare some of the vegetables. Sango and Miroku's twins, Yori and Yuki, were ten years old. Miroku had his eight-year-old son in his lap as they sat at the table waiting for dinner. Across from Miroku was Inuyasha with his three-year-old son and youngest, Katsurou, climbing on him and trying to grab his ears.

"Katsurou, I swear, you are the most hyper of the three." Inuyasha said frustrated as he continued to pull the little boy down. He was the miracle child. There were serious complications throughout Kagome's pregnancy with him and they were all relieved when he managed to live through the premature birth. Regardless, Kaede warned that Kagome shouldn't have any more children for fear that the next one may take her life.

Inuyasha's eldest, six-year-old Shinobu, was seated next to Inuyasha, waiting for his meal. His middle child, four-year-old Sayuri, was tugging on her mother's Hakama. "Settle down, Sayuri. You will eat at the same time as everyone else." Kagome said to the little girl. Her little white ears bent over in displeasure and she sulked her way to the table, next to her father.

Inuyasha rubbed the little girl's head with his large hand. "Dad!" she complained as she pushed his hand off.

Kohaku was there as well, talking to Sango about his demon training. He, too, had grown into a handsome young man. Rin was happy he still came to visit and didn't get too caught up with his training.

"Rin, come sit down!" Miroku invited. Rin sat down next to Miroku and spoke to them.

"So how are those swords?" Inuyasha asked curiously. He had been squeezing her for information whenever he saw her. He was extremely curious how a human could wield demon weapons.

"They are fine." Rin said nonchalantly.

Inuyasha slammed his fists down on the table. "Damnit, Rin! How are you using those things!?" Inuyasha half-whined and half-yelled.

"Sit, boy!" Kagome yelled. Inuyasha's face hit the table and Katsurou laughed and clapped his hands at his father's pain as he landed on his head.

"Ow! What you go and do that for?" Inuyasha snarled angrily at Kagome.

"You need to mind your own business, Inuyasha." Kagome barked back. Inuyasha backed down and grabbed Katsurou off his head who, at this point, was tugging at both Inuyasha's ears.

The rest of the dinner went pretty much the same. The kids ran around rampant after they were finished eating and the parents struggled to keep control. "I should be going." Rin said after she had finished helping clean up. Rin waved goodbye to all and gave out a few hugs to the kids before making her way out of the house.

She thought about going back to Kaede's home to get some sleep, but she wasn't at all tired. She decided, instead, to visit the pond in the river. It was quiet there and the wild flowers that grew were beautiful.

When she arrived at the pond, she sat in her spot next to a flower that reminded her of Sesshomaru. The spot itself was worn and indented from all the time she spent there. The flower had a golden core with beautiful white petals and the littlest streaks of purple in the edge of the petals. It reminded her so much of his facial features, with the purple streaks going from his hair line across to the middle of his cheeks, the purple half moon in the center of his forehead, his delicate white locks that fell below his back, and his captivating golden eyes. She sighed as she thought about him. _"It's just a stupid crush, Rin. Lord Sesshomaru would never think of you in that way." _She thought to herself as she shook the images out of her head. "_I'm human and he is a demon. He thinks humans are disgusting and can't stand that his father was killed because of his love for a human woman. He would never suggest such a thing."_ Rin continued to rationalize her crush for Lord Sesshomaru. "_Who knows if he's ever coming back?"_ Rin suddenly felt abandoned. She hadn't seen Sesshomaru in three years. It felt like an eternity to her, but to a demon like him that was most likely nothing at all.

She looked up and saw a shooting star. Her expression changed and a smile fell across her lips. _"I wish Lord Sesshomaru, Master Jaken, and Ah-Un would come back for me."_ She wished.

It was only moments after her wish left her thoughts did she hear something odd. She stood up to try and see if she could hear where it was coming from, but didn't see anything. It sounded like screaming, and it was getting louder. "Master Jaken?" She asked as she immediately recognized the voice. She became very excited. "Master Jaken, where are you?" She yelled throughout the trees.

Finally she recognized where the screaming was coming from and looked up. Jaken was falling out of the sky, and was very close to hitting her on the head. She quickly moved out of the way and noticed he was about to land on her favorite flower. She quickly grabbed him right out of the air and had him upside down. "Master Jaken! Oh I missed you so much!" Rin said happily as she squeezed the toad-demon.

"Rin, you fool! I can't breathe." Jaken mumbled while his head had managed to get squeezed into her cleavage.

"Oh. Sorry, Master Jaken." Rin said as she placed him down on the ground.

"Not bad for a human." Jaken said sarcastically. Her reactions had become much faster from when she was younger, even if Jaken refused to admit it.

"Well I couldn't let you land on my favorite flower!" Rin admitted as she pointed to her favorite white flower.

Jaken's face lowered in light disappointment, "Well I'm glad I'm less important than a flower, now."

Rin smiled at Jaken. She was so happy to see him again, despite his usual negativity towards her.

"Rin." That cold, serious voice called out to her from behind and she immediately knew who it was.

"Lord Sesshomaru! Ah-Un!" Rin called as she saw her other two long lost companions land behind her. She ran up to her Lord and smiled brightly. Her womanly features glowed and Sesshomaru thought she looked quite lovely, for a human. Her Kimono was blue with a golden flower pattern. It sparkled in the moon light. She was still barefoot even after all these years spent in a human village. She still refused to wear sandals. She said they slowed her down.

Sesshomaru's look still hadn't changed. He still wore his usual spiked pauldron armor that covered his left shoulder. His Kimono was the same, white with a red honeycomb and flower crest at the collar and sleeves. His Hakama, also, didn't change. His hair still flowed down just below his back and he still carried around the white pelt.

Sesshomaru peered down at Rin's swords. He grabbed her arm, and pulled it towards him. He pushed the kimono sleeve up so he could see her wrist. He saw the mark that was strong in demonic energy. He observed it carefully and then released her. The symbol of the marking was familiar to him. "Dragon demon," he whispered so quietly that Rin could not pick up the words. Rin had blushed slightly from Sesshomaru's touch. It had been so long since she had even gotten to see him, let alone feel his presence again. She was a woman now, and her hormones were raging through her body. She was significantly attracted to him.

Sesshomaru then peered into Rin's eyes, and she blushed more. "Where did you get these Kodachi?" Sesshomaru asked. He seemed slightly annoyed.

Rin sensed his displeasure and immediately answered him. "I found an injured demon in the forest about a month after you left last time. She was severely injured, but I was able to save her. She had been running from someone or something. As a reward she gave me her swords, her demonic power, and the training to use it all. She said she had to disappear." Rin finished with her head down. She thought she had angered him by accepting demonic power. She was also ashamed that she left out the tiny detail of who the demon actually was. Lord Sesshomaru would certainly be upset with her if she told him, though.

Sesshomaru stood there for a moment observing Rin. "How does a human accept Demonic power?" He asked curiously. Normally just touching a demonic weapon would destroy a human, how could it be placed inside her.

"She told me she stored it in these markings." Rin said innocently as she held up her wrists for her Lord to see." I can release it with the swords and use her special abilities. But I suppose if I ever lost the markings, then I wouldn't be able to touch the swords. The markings act as protection and as offensive power." Rin said as she struggled to explain the odd phenomenon. She really didn't understand how it worked to well herself.

"It's an odd technology I've never seen before. Jaken, I want you to research this after we finish our journey. If those markings ever fail, it could potentially do a lot of damage." Sesshomaru said as he continued to observer her. He could see the significant muscle gain since he last saw her. He noticed, also, her swift reaction time with Jaken. It was an easy thing to test, seeing as Jaken was unable to fly. Her body was slender and strong. She certainly was no longer the girl he had left here ten years ago. She had an aura about her that presented strength. It surprised him that she would train so hard just to go with him. _"I knew she wanted to travel with me, but I never knew the extent she would go. Humans are such odd creatures." _Sesshomaru mused.

While he was still curious about this demon, Sesshomaru chose to drop it. He turned to leave, when Rin's voice rang meekly in his ears. "Excuse me, Lord Sesshomaru, but why did you come back here?" Rin asked curiously. Her face had grown so beautifully and proportioned perfectly. Her smile was bright and her eyes sparkled. She had the same life filling energy that she possessed when she was a child.

He looked at her, deciding whether or not to tell her. "Come, Rin." Sesshomaru said as he turned to walk towards the village.

"Yes, Lord Sesshomaru." Rin said, filled with excitement. Her smile glowed as she followed her Lord. Jaken and Ah-Un were close behind. "_Maybe he will take me with him!"_ Rin thought as they walked back.

"You haven't lost that goofy smile." Jaken grumbled. Rin only smiled at him. "Why are you so happy all the time!?" He asked frustrated.

"I'm not happy all the time, Master Jaken. But don't you think it's better to appear happy even when you are sad? It makes everyone else around you feel safe and comfortable." Rin turned her head and faced forward again. Sesshomaru glanced back in curiosity. "_She's incredibly odd, even for a human."_ Sesshomaru thought.

"Bah! Humans…" Jaken began. "You are, by far, the strangest human I ever met. Most would pour themselves with self-pity and beg for someone to notice. They don't care about how other people feel as long as they are getting their attention."

"Since when do you know anything about humans?" Rin asked coyly. Sesshomaru looked slightly amused. Jaken grumbled helplessly as he searched for a come-back. "Besides, I've never had anyone who really cares for me or my feelings so what's the point in trying to get them to feel sorry for me? I don't feel sorry for me." Rin admitted. Again Sesshomaru looked back curiously. Her complacency and common sense did not fit for a human her age or her gender for that matter.

"Nonsense, I'm sure you've cried to that old woman time and time again." Jaken poked.

"Only once when I was defeated by a demon and she had to intervene and kill it. All she told me is that she did not feel sorry for me and that I should have been strong enough to destroy it. I let my emotions cloud my judgment." Rin said uneasily.

"See, you still looked for someone to feel sorry for you. All humans do." Jaken clucked in triumph. Rin glared at him.

"Why?" Sesshomaru asked.

"My Lord?" She asked, not understanding his question.

"Why did you let your emotions cloud your judgment?" he asked, slightly annoyed that he had to repeat himself to this foolish girl.

"It was a wolf demon. I was terrified. I didn't know how to overcome my fear." She admitted, ashamed. Sesshomaru didn't say anything, but just kept walking towards Kaede's house. Rin was silent for the rest of the walk.

Kaede had returned home and was waiting for Rin to get back. When Rin came in with her companions, Kaede looked a little surprised. "Lord Sesshomaru, I wasn't expecting you back so soon." Kaede admitted.

"So soon? It's been three years, Lady Kaede." Rin said disbelieving.

"Three years is not long for a demon, Rin." She said back. "Lord Sesshomaru has been living for hundreds of years and is not even in his prime, yet." Sesshomaru looked annoyed at the old woman.

"Kaede, I came to inform you that I'm preparing to expand my territory into the Northern Lands. I assumed it would be an important piece of information for you to know seeing as once I kill the dragon lord, the other dragons will be scattered and searching for places to reside. Your village could be targeted." Sesshomaru said coldly.

"My thanks, Lord Sesshomaru, but you must have another reason for coming here. Certainly you could have sent just a simple messenger." Kaede began.

"I was passing through, and besides, no demon would send a message like this to a human village." Sesshomaru scoffed.

"And, yet, here you are." Kaede said as she raised her eyes to him. Sesshomaru was too smart to let his tongue be beaten by a pathetic old human woman, but she was indeed wise with her words.

"The Dragon Lord? Dragon Demons?" Rin asked herself, lost in thought. She jumped excitedly and ran beside her Lord. "Lord Sesshomaru, can I go with you, please?" Rin begged.

"Absolutely not, Rin." Kaede began as she stood on her feet.

"Why not? I've proven to you that I'm more than capable of handling myself. I've cleared these forests again and again for our village and no weak demons dare move near." Rin began.

"The Northern Lands are extremely dangerous. Not only would you freeze to death up there, but the dragon demons are ruthless. They would tear you to shreds." Kaede continued.

"You said when I am old enough I can make the decision myself where I go, and I'm old enough now. I'm not a child anymore." Rin argued, her blood boiling. She wasn't going to let Kaede stop her this time. Sesshomaru watched, with interest, the argument that pursued. He was amused that Kaede had no control or say over Rin.

Kaede stepped back and calmed herself. "As you wish, Rin, If Lord Sesshomaru allows it, you may go with him." She said calmly.

Rin turned to look at Sesshomaru, waiting for a response. "Do as you wish." Was all he said and Rin became extremely excited. She buried her excitement beneath a smile and rushed to gather some things together.

Jaken's expression went from calm and collected to worry. "B-but my Lord!" Jaken began. Kaede cut in like he wasn't even there. "Certainly you can't take a child with you to the Northern Lands!" Kaede pleaded.

"I'm not a child!" Rin yelled from the other room.

"As long as she doesn't get in my way, I do not care what she does." Sesshomaru said coldly. He felt something inside him falter as the words left his lips.

"Well won't you at least stay the night so Rin can say goodbye to the others in the morning?" Kaede continued to plead. She thought for sure Sesshomaru would never bring a young human woman with him.

"There is no time." Sesshomaru demanded.

Jaken looked up at the old woman, annoyed at her interruption. "Lord Sesshomaru!" He continued.

Rin had finished gathering a small pack of things. It included some food, an extra kimono, and a blanket. Sesshomaru continued out the doorway and Rin followed, placing her pack on Ah-Un. Kaede waved from her doorway, but did not follow the group any farther than that. She was helpless to keep Rin. There was nothing she could do.

Rin waved wildly to Kaede, her facial expression showed her incredible amount of joy. "Say goodbye to the others for me, Kaede. Thank you for everything! I'll return someday to visit you all again soon!"

Kaede just faked a smile and waved back. "That poor girl has no idea what she's getting into. He better keep her safe."


	2. Chapter 2

*Reminder that this is post-canon fic so it may contain minor spoilers. As always, thanks for reading! Enjoy!*

"Lord Sesshomaru," Jaken again started to make his nervous point when they were a good distance away from Kaede's home. "What about the Lady of the lands? Won't she be angry that you are bringing a human back with you?"

Sesshomaru sent a death glance back at Jaken. Jaken's features became even more nervous as sweat dripped off his face. "She has no say in what I do." Sesshomaru said firmly, his facial expression hadn't changed.

"Lady of the lands?" Rin asked both of them. She knew Jaken would be the only one to entertain her questions.

"Lord Sesshomaru obtained a mate eight years ago when we returned to the Western Lands. He needs heirs if he is going to reign over his new kingdom." Jaken said proudly.

"Who is she?" Rin asked curiously. She hid her disappointment under her curiosity.

"She is a great dog-demon, like my Lord, but not nearly as strong. She was found suitable to produce heirs." Jaken continued. Sesshomaru showed very small signs of annoyance in his face, but he hadn't discouraged their conversation yet. He was curious about Rin's reaction to the news. He had never told her. Why should he have? She had no reason to know.

"To produce heirs?" Rin continued. "Like an arranged marriage?" She only knew a little about arranged marriages. She knew that families would have their children marry in order for the families to inherit wealth or good status, but she never heard of the children arranging the marriage themselves.

"Hmph!" Jaken scoffed. "There is no such thing as marriage to demons. That's something humans do. They claim marriage solidifies their love for one another. Demons that fall in love are weak and love is only a weakness."

"That's not true." Rin said casually as she stared at the sky that was full of stars. She was riding Ah-Un's back through the sky and thought it wonderful to be riding on him again. "Love provides much strength. It provides purpose, and happiness, and warmth. It's a wonderful feeling that brightens your whole spirit. It allows you to fight and protect those you love with purpose, not just because you have to, but because you want to." Rin mused. Kagome had told her about love stories that people from her time told and they were glorious. Rin was sometimes curious about what it would feel like to have someone love her like that.

"What would you know about love, anyway?" Jaken said meanly.

Rin put her head down disappointedly and blushed slightly when the thought of Sesshomaru crossed her mind. "Nothing, I suppose." She admitted.

"Exactly. Humans are incredibly weak already, yet they let themselves become even weaker by letting love interfere with their judgment. They would give their lives just for the ones they love without even thinking about the consequences. How is that beneficial?" Jaken thought he was teaching her a lesson, but she had already been hurt by the truth that she really didn't know love or what it was like.

"Jaken." Lord Sesshomaru said strictly.

"Y-yes, my Lord?" Jaken asked nervously.

"Your voice is irritating me." Sesshomaru replied.

"Sorry, Lord Sesshomaru." Jaken said, defeated. Rin smiled lightly.

_"He still favors her to me. Oh Lord Sesshomaru! When will my service to you prove my loyalty? When will you take my side?" _Jaken thought hopelessly.

Rin's curiosity was getting the better of her and though she tried to keep herself from questioning Sesshomaru, she couldn't resist the mystery that was tearing her to pieces. "How many heirs do you have, Lord Sesshomaru?" The question popped.

Sesshomaru looked back at her gentle, inquisitive face. "Three."

Rin felt victory that she had finally gotten a response from him. It was hit or miss with Sesshomaru. If someone asked the wrong question, he wouldn't answer. Even if that person asked the right question, he still might not give the response he/she was looking for. "What are their names?" Rin figured she try to dive a little deeper.

Sesshomaru didn't respond and instead, kept flying along without looking back at her. He was interested in her reactions, but once he saw there was no real response in the fact that he had three pups, he got bored.

The group of three flew through the air the entire night. Rin entertained herself by singing. Sesshomaru had noticed that the annoying, off-key voice that she used to have was now replaced with a beautiful, soothing voice. He hated music to begin with, but her voice felt relaxing to him for some odd reason. The lyrics to her songs were much more suited than the sing-song lyrics that she made up as a child. He did not find them annoying at all.

Jaken, on the other hand, just wanted to find ways to put her down. "Human's are such noisy creatures." He would say as he sulked on the back of Ah-Un. Rin would just smile and continue singing.

By morning, they had reached the barrier to the Western Lands. _"Flying certainly is a lot faster than walking."_ Rin thought to herself. Sesshomaru separated the barrier enough to let the group through. Once they were through the barrier, it was only a short walk to the gate.

Rin was shocked at the size of the castle estate that housed Sesshomaru, his mate, and his pups. There were many servants there as well, all of which gave Rin dirty looks as they walked through. The many hallways eventually led to the throne room. It had a large throne against the wall that the door was on and a smaller one next to it. A glass ceiling let the morning sun shine through. On the other side of the room was a grassy garden that had a pathway leading to the outside. The garden itself was beautiful and well kept. Rin was in awe.

"My dear Sesshomaru, you have returned to me." A woman that was sitting on the smaller throne had gotten up. Two demon children were playing in the garden when they looked up and saw their father. The third had been next to his mother.

The three children obediently ran and stood in front of their father. They looked to be about five years old. _"She must have had a liter of pups."_ Rin thought.

"What do we have here?" The demon woman asked as she seemed to teleport to Rin's side. Rin could just barely follow her quick movements. The woman put her claw on Rin's face, observing her features. "What a lovely woman. A snack for me perhaps, Lord Sesshomaru?"

Sesshomaru had been watching his mate carefully. "No, she is my ward." he said coldly.

"Ward?" The woman asked, almost disgusted. "Since when do you travel with a Ward?"

Sesshomaru took his attention from his mate to his daughter when his mate released Rin. "Izumi."

"Yes, Father?" The little demon's voice was sharp, but sweet. She looked strong and didn't have an ounce of fear in her.

"Where did you get that gash on your arm?" Sesshomaru asked. Izumi had tried to hide it under her kimono, but blood had dripped down. It was a fairly large wound.

Izumi looked nervously at her mother and then back at one of her brothers. "I was playing with Takeshi in the garden and he accidently sliced my arm." It had looked like she struggled getting the words out. The boy that was assumed to be Takeshi threw his head to the side in disgust. He knew it was a lie, but bit his tongue.

Sesshomaru looked over to his demon mate, who had made her way back into her seat. "Go get that fixed up, Izumi. Takashi, Hideki, go play." He told his pups. When the pups had run off, he focused his attention to his mate.

While Sesshomaru was dealing with his mate, Rin decided to help the pup. She ran out into the hallway and saw the desperate girl-demon tugging on different servants' kimonos, begging them to fix her arm. _"That damn demon-woman probably told the servants not to bandage the wound."_ Rin thought.

"Izumi!" Rin called. The little girl looked back at her father's companion. She walked up to her and raised her arm.

"Can you fix this please?" She asked. Rin smiled at the girl and kneeled so she was eye level.

"Of course." Rin said. She pulled out a cloth bandage she had stuffed in a pouch on the inside of her kimono. She lifted the girl's kimono until she could see the wound in full. It was a very deep gash that was still bleeding. Rin carefully wrapped the arm like Kagome had taught her. She tied it tight and let the girl's kimono fall back onto her arm.

Izumi looked up at Rin and smiled brightly. She smiled so wide, her eyes were shut. "Thank you, lady!" She squealed happily. She ran back to find her brothers.

Meanwhile, Sesshomaru was speaking to his mate. "Kimiko."

"Yes, my Lord?" She asked sarcastically. She was not afraid of him at all.

"Do not teach my pups to lie to me. If you ever harm them like that again, I will kill you myself." Sesshomaru said harshly. Rin had just walked in during his comment, right behind Izumi. She was surprised at his level of protection for his pups. Sesshomaru had moved his glance to Rin, noticing she was responsible for bandaging his pup.

Kimiko scoffed. "Nothing will happen to your precious heirs, Sesshomaru. They need to learn a little pain, especially if they are misbehaving. The servants don't have the gall to do it, so I must. It's not exactly a job I enjoy." She lied right through her teeth.

Sesshomaru's eyes grew angry and they moved to reconnect Kimiko's gaze. He picked her because of her fighting skills and strength. He never thought that her mothering skills would have to be a factor in his heirs at least getting to the adolescent stage of their lives. She proved to be a terrible mother, just like his own.

He turned to leave the room again. "Where are you going now?" Kimiko asked angrily. She hated that human thing following him around. She also remembered vividly that a human woman brought his father down. She feared he would make a similar mistake and ruin her chances of owning these Lands.

"To conquer the Northern Lands." He said as he walked out. Rin and Jaken were close behind. Kimiko looked extremely displeased.

_"I will conquer my own empire and surpass my father. I will not become a pathetic son that inherits his father's wealth. I will prove that I am the strongest demon in existence."_ Sesshomaru thought to himself. He needed his own land, his own empire. What better empire to conquer then the dragon-demons empire? He would show everyone everywhere that he was not to be underestimated.

After making some arrangements with his demon warriors, Sesshomaru was off again, to the north. The demon warriors would be waiting in the west, ready to attack when the message came from Jaken. He would send the message when the demon lord was slain. That way he will have defeated the dragon lord by himself before his warriors got there to assist with the underlings. He will conquer the Northern Lands by himself and prove he is the strongest.

Though Rin was given many uneasy looks, not one dog-demon, besides Kimiko, questioned her presence there. She was glad that she hadn't become a problem for him, like she had so many times in the past.

The journey north was long. Rin was exhausted due to the fact she hadn't gotten to sleep at all the night before. Then they had traveled all day to get to the North. By night fall, she was fighting her heavy eye lids and she had grown extremely quiet.

When night had fallen, Sesshomaru picked a spot in the forest to rest. Jaken and Rin made a camp fire and Ah-Un found a comfortable spot in the grass to relax. Rin took out some dried fruits and some dried meat from her pack to eat for dinner, since she was too exhausted to search for food. She had noticed that it felt much colder here than in the village. She wasn't used to it.

Sesshomaru had been observing Rin as he often did when she was a child. He found a tree that felt comfortable enough and sat while putting his back to it. Rin had finished eating and had placed herself close to the fire. When she felt warm enough, she found a tree that was across from Sesshomaru and laid herself against it. She quickly felt her eyelids become too heavy to hold despite the chill.

Sesshomaru was surprised by how fast she fell asleep. _"Human's are so pathetic."_ he reminded himself. _"They need so much food and so much rest. They are so easy to kill. They can freeze to death, be poisoned, or just a simple slice in the right spot can cause them to bleed out in minutes."_ He didn't know why he was rationalizing the worth of a human, but every time he looked at Rin, he felt the need to. Her soft delicate features were attractive for a human. Her singing soothed his mind. Her dancing was amusing. Her kindness was comforting. And her smile did something to him that he couldn't describe. It was like a small seed of warmth would plant itself in his heart every time she smiled. It was intoxicating and addictive. He liked the feeling and it disturbed him. _"Humans are disgusting."_ he reinforced as his thoughts betrayed him. _"They have so many weaknesses and so many disgusting habits and features."_ but Rin didn't have those disgusting habits and features. She was pure.

Rin shot her eyes open. _"A nightmare. It was only a nightmare."_ she reassured herself. It wasn't often she could go a night without having terrible nightmares. This time it was about wolves. She hated wolves.

She noticed Sesshomaru was still awake. She also noticed the air had gotten significantly colder. She was starting to shiver. She decided to use the blanket, even though she knew her Lord would view it as a weakness.

"You're cold?" He asked when she pulled the blanket out of the pack that was on Ah-Un's back.

She nodded as she stepped over a snoring Jaken, making her way back to her tree.

"Perhaps you should have stayed at the village. It will only get colder as we get further north." He said nonchalantly.

"No!" She said sternly. "I'm fine. That's why I brought it. I'm not going to be a burden." She reinforced.

Sesshomaru just watched her curiously. Humans were such odd creatures.

"Lord Sesshomaru?" Rin asked as she cuddled underneath her blanket. She was not ready to fall back to sleep quite yet.

"Hnh?"

"Why did you leave me behind in that village ten years ago?" Rin asked, her eyes glazed with sleep.

"Because you needed to learn what it's like to live with humans and learn how to be human." He responded.

"But I already knew what it was like. I lived in a village before I..." Rin stopped for a moment as she remember that time of her life. Those wolves started creeping back into her mind again. "Before I started traveling with you." She said instead.

"And was it the same as what you experienced in the last ten years?" Sesshomaru asked coyly.

Rin paused for a moment. "No, no it wasn't. The last ten years I've been around people who actually cared about me and people who liked me for who I was. It was not the same at all." She said while quietly considering the differences. "But I still wanted to travel with you!" She focused back on her reason for the conversation.

"It was not your decision." He said coldly. Rin opened her mouth to object but was cut off by Sesshomaru. "My idiot brother and that old hag proved useless anyway. They were not suitable protectors for you. Teaching you how to fight for yourself.." He stopped himself as he realized he was venting out loud.

Rin was shocked at her Lord's outburst. It wasn't like Sesshomaru to show any emotion, let alone express what he was actually thinking to her. She looked at him, ready to shoot another question his way when she noticed he was lost in deep thought. She decided she had pushed too far and curled up under her blanket and attempted to sleep.

Sesshomaru, however, was now very agitated. Not only did he allow himself to have an outburst in front of Rin, but he also had allowed himself to slip back into his memories. He remember that day well.

_It was Rin's twelfth birthday. He had obtained one of the finest silk Kimonos he had ever seen. It was pearl white with a red flower pattern and gold stitching. She had often talked about how much she like her Lord's outfit and wished she could have something similar. While Sesshomaru hesitated on such a request at first, somehow his mind rationalized around the negative consequences of allowing his ward to wear a similar garment to his. She was no longer traveling with him after all._

_When he arrived, Rin had already gotten her other gifts from her friends and was practicing with a long bow that his idiot brother and that Miko got her._

_"What is this?" He asked angrily as he tore the bow from her hands._

_"It's a long bow that Inuyasha and Kagome got for me for my birthday! Isn't it wonderful? I can train with it and learn to fight so I can travel along side you again." Rin exclaimed. _

_"No." Sesshomaru said coldly as he snapped the bow in two and tossed it aside. Rin's eyes filled with tears._

_"What is your problem!" Inuyasha growled as Kagome wrapped her arms around a sobbing Rin. Sesshomaru felt a tugging inside of him as he watch the girl sob helplessly. _

_"She will not fight!" Sesshomaru growled._

_"She can do whatever the hell she wants to. You don't own her." Inuyasha barked as he unsheathed his sword._

_"Stop it, you two! This isn't helping!" Kagome yelled at the two brothers, but her words didn't reach their ears. They began to charge one another until a small old woman stepped between them._

_"Enough!" Kaede shouted firmly. The two stopped short of hitting her. "Lord Sesshomaru, do you have a moment. I wish to speak with you." Kaede asked._

_Sesshomaru, seething in anger, reluctantly accepted the woman's request. He followed the old woman leaving his crying ward and his idiot brother behind. _

_As soon as the door shut behind him, he began to argue. "She will not fight!" He growled._

_"My, my. I'm not used to seeing you so emotional, Lord Sesshomaru. You must truly care for the girl." Kaede teased. _

_"I'm not here to play games, old woman! I entrusted my ward to you so you could teach her to be human, not teach her how to fight." He continued._

_"First of all, I'm not quite sure why you care so much. You left her here with plans on her staying here for the rest of her human life, correct?" Kaede asked._

_Sesshomaru went silent._

_"And second, she should learn how to protect herself. Even a great and powerful demon lord such as yourself cannot protect someone at all times. Your father is a perfect example of that." She continued._

_"Do not bring HIM into this conversation." Sesshomaru interrupted angrily._

_"Either way, my Lord, Inuyasha and Kagome have started a family and I am just an old woman. Certainly you can't expect us to keep our eyes out for Rin at all times. She is a wild spirit and does what she wishes. I would feel better if she knew how to defend herself and so should you." Kaede finished triumphantly._

_"Then I will take her back with me if none of you are capable of protecting one young girl." Sesshomaru stated, swelling his pride. He would not lose to this old hag._

_"And where will you bring her, I wonder? Back to your home in the western lands? She is a girl of twelve. Any day now she will hit puberty and your so-called loyal servants will be all over her at the first sign of her heat. I suppose you could keep her by your side at all times, except I'm not sure how that will work out with this new mate of yours. Trying to produce heirs can be quite a traumatizing thing for a young girl to witness." Kaede joked._

_Sesshomaru glared at the old woman with hatred. "How do you..." _

_"Come now, my Lord. You must know word travels so fast. Do not worry yourself, though. No one has said anything to Rin about this mate of yours. I'm sure it would break the poor girl's heart. After all, all she ever talks about is traveling with you again." _

_Sesshomaru was growing more and more frustrated with every word that left the woman's mouth. _

_"Let us get straight to the facts. You are trying to guarantee the fate of your empire. Once you have total control of the western lands, a few good heirs, and your boarders solidified, you can feel comfortable with traveling again. You can take Rin back and travel the lands again with her by your side if that is what she wishes. Until that time comes, however, she needs to stay here where it's safe and where she won't be a weakness to you. And if that's the case, then she needs to learn to protect herself, because I cannot guarantee her safety."_

_"Hmph, weakness? I have no weaknesses! Especially a human!" Sesshomaru was fuming at the thought of letting a human be his weakness. He was not his father. Despite all that, however, he could not deny the simple truth that the old hag was correct. He could not take Rin back with him. As proud as he was, as strong as he was, he simply did not want to deal with the trouble that could come of it. Besides, Rin needed to be with other humans. She needed to understand where she belonged. When he was finished settling his lands and securing his heirs, then he'd let her decide._

_"Well, my Lord, I am simply speaking for several experiences Rin has told me about. She nearly died several times and I believe once she did die under your care. Luckily your mother intervened or Rin would not be alive to this day." Kaede looked at him, smiling that same contented, victorious smile. _

_"I protected her." He said proudly. _

_"That you did." Kaede said, taking more shots at his proud ego. _

_"I grow very tired of this, old woman." He snarled._

_"Well take her if you must, but I hope that you don't regret it. Leave her here if you feel you must, but we will not stop in our intentions. If she stays, she will fight." Kaede stated as she left the house. "Enjoy your day, my Lord. I expect that you can see yourself out." _

_Sesshomaru needed to leave that tiresome place. He left his gift for Rin on her bed, and left without saying goodbye. _

_The next time he visited was three years later, on her fifteenth birthday. That time he no longer objected her fighting, but instead demoralized her. "You are going to have to be better than that if you want to travel with me again." He said coldly. He enjoyed the glaring stares he got from Kaede. If she had to fight, then he would do everything in his power to make her feel less for it. His little Rin, his innocent pure Rin was now a warrior. She had better prove useful, he thought. Though after the thought had passed, he felt a slight pang of guilt for thinking it. What was wrong with him? Where were these odd feelings coming from? And why did he only feel them around her?_

Sesshomaru shook the memory from his head and turned to look at Rin, his mouth open and ready to continue the conversation, but stopped when he saw her chest slowly moving up and down in an even motion. Her breathing followed an even pace. She was asleep. He lowered his head and closed his eyes. Maybe some rest would do him some good.

*Thanks for reading. Will update soon!*


	3. Chapter 3

**Thank you so much for the reviews! Hopefully you all like this next chapter! Enjoy!**

The morning was cool. A layer of frost had covered the ground and Rin and her blanket had become damp. She frowned in displeasure as she got up from her sleep. She equipped her Kodachi and Long Bow. Sesshomaru was nowhere in sight.

"Get up Jaken." Rin said as she nudged the toad demon with her foot. Jaken turned over lazily and groaned. Once he saw Sesshomaru wasn't around he jumped up.

"Where is Lord Sesshomaru?" He asked frantically.

Rin shrugged her shoulders. "I don't know. I guess we should just wait for him."

"Then why did you wake me up?" Jaken grumbled quietly. He sat down with his arms crossed and yawned loudly. When he opened his eyes again he froze and pointed behind Rin. Rin looked at him oddly.

"What's wrong, Jaken?" She asked curiously.

"L-L-L-Look out!" Jaken stuttered.

Rin quickly turned to see a snake-like demon appeared from behind her. He was a large scaly reptile that seemed to float in the air. His body was the length of a hundred swords and his head alone was as tall as Rin's body.

"A snake demon." Rin gasped, turning her body in full, to face the nasty creature. She had seen other demons similar to this is shape only. The size alone of this creature was intimidating enough to make Jaken tremble in fear.

Rin didn't even hesitate. She drew her bow and pulled back an arrow. "Aimed Shot!" She yelled as the spiritually charged arrow flung from her arrow towards the demon. The demon was much faster than the ones at the village. It managed to dodge the arrow for the most part, only feeling it scrape passed some of its flesh.

"Ah, you will pay for that!" The demon hissed, charging at Rin with full force. Rin jumped quickly out of the way and the Demon charged right through a poor defenseless Jaken, throwing him against a nearby tree. The demon turned angrily to face Rin. "Stupid human. I will devour you!"

Rin unsheathed her Kodachi. They were covered in a black, transparent layer. "This ought to do the trick." Rin said to herself as she readied for the demon's next charge.

In one quick motion, Rin ducked under the demon, stabbing her one sword into the demon's underbelly and forcing the other blackened blade against the first as to give it a little extra push. The poisoned sword sliced through the demon effortlessly, burning away the scaly flesh while diving deep into the creature's underbelly. The demon dropped behind Rin, creating a large pile of dust. It's gurgling screams ended quickly as the demon took its last breaths.

Rin stabbed her swords into the ground and hunched over for a moment. She was quite winded from the scuffle. After spending only a moment catching her breath, she ran to Jaken. "Jaken! Master Jaken, are you alright?" She yelled as she shook the poor toad demon.

"St-stop shaking me!" He yelled as he tried to pull the girl's hands off of his garment. "I'm fine! What happened to the-" his words stopped short as he eyes caught sight of the demon's corpse laying several feet from him. "Did Lord Sesshomaru-?" He began as he pointed to the body.

"No. I took care of him. Are you sure your alright, Jaken?" Rin asked again.

Jaken's mouth dropped to the ground. "You? You killed the demon!?" He was certainly impressed. "Rin, that's amazing!" he said excited. "That snake demon would have eaten any normal human alive. You really have come a long way." Jaken was never usually very supportive of Rin, but he couldn't contain himself. He would have never been able to kill such a fierce some foe.

Not a moment later did Sesshomaru drop from the sky with his sword unsheathed and ready for battle. He looked at the mangled demon corpse in front of him and then looked to where Rin was standing, her swords attached to her hips and her bow strung around her back.

"Lord Sesshomaru! You wouldn't believe what Rin did!" Jaken began. Rin blushed at Jaken's praise.

"Why didn't you call for me?" Sesshomaru asked calmly.

"I knew I could handle it." Rin said quietly. She turned her face in shame. He was disappointed.

"You should have called for me." He said again. This time his voice sounded a bit more agitated.

"But Lord Sesshomaru, you should have seen her! She sliced up that demon like it was nothing!" Jaken continued, still impressed at Rin's fighting skills.

"You should have called for me!" He growled angrily at the two. Sesshomaru's head was swirling with annoying thoughts. He had left the group in order to clear his head of Rin and all the unfamiliar feelings she had associated with her. He had gotten so distracted by his thoughts that he didn't even sense the demon in his camp, fighting his Rin. Now his Rin had unintentionally stabbed his pride. She was his to protect. She does not need to fight.

"We're leaving." He stated as he began walking north again.

"Coming!" Rin shouted.

"Wait for me, Lord Sesshomaru!" Jaken shouted from behind.

Their second day of travel brought them to an even colder climate. The days had lost any sign of warmth and they were now traveling in snow. Rin used the other kimono she had brought and ripped the fabric apart. "Such a shame." She said as she wrapped the pieces of silk around her feet and tied some string around her ankles to keep the fabric on. They certainly weren't perfect, but at least they would help in keeping her feet warm.

At one point Sesshomaru stopped. The forest was covered in a blanket of snow and the air was oddly silent. There was a frozen river not too far from where they were. All seemed quiet. "Rin." Sesshomaru turned to Rin, who had been riding on Ah-Un, her blood freezing. "Fight me."

Rin looked at him in shock. She had no idea what this would prove or why he was challenging her. "But Lord Sesshomaru, "She began, but was quickly cut off as Sesshomaru slashed Bakusaiga at her.

Rin quickly dodged the slash and jumped onto a tree branch. "Lord Sesshomaru, I do not wish to fight you!" Rin pleaded.

Sesshomaru just peered up at her and readied himself. He would teach her what real fighting was about. He charged her with Bakusaiga in hand. Rin quickly dodged with an uneasy look. Sesshomaru cut the tree right in half. He turned his head and gazed at her again.

_"What is he doing?"_ Jaken thought. _"Is he really that angry with her? All she was doing was protecting herself...and me."_

"Do not let who I am weaken you. You should be able to fight to kill an attacker, no matter who they are." Sesshomaru said harshly as he charged her once again. He was no doubt going easy on her, seeing as she was able to dodge him.

Rin felt extremely hurt, but readied an arrow anyway. "Aimed Shot!" She shouted as she released the arrow. At the last second she moved the bow slightly, however, so to miss any vital areas. Sesshomaru dodged it effortlessly.

"Stop hesitating." He yelled. "Fight me."

Rin became frustrated and threw her bow to the ground. She unsheathed her Kodachi and prepared herself for his charge. Their swords met and they began swinging at one another. Rin kept to being defensive as she refused to harm him. Her defense was remarkable. She wielded the weapons like they were extra limbs and her movements were like a dance.

Sesshomaru became more forceful and knocked one of the Kodachi out of her hand. In response she jumped back, retreating. She was at the edge of the frozen river now. Sesshomaru stood there, cornering her. She put both her hands on her one Kodachi and readied herself for another attack.

Sesshomaru charged her, his Bakusaiga was much more powerful than her one Kodachi. The force of his charge threw her onto the ice. He hovered over it while Rin struggled to keep her balance and not slip. Finally she had had enough. She was growing angry with him for attacking her. She charged him with her Kodachi. He stood there waiting. She finally had made a move. She jumped and flipped over him, landing behind him. Just as she was about to strike the weight of her body and the force of the landing had broken the ice beneath her. She plummeted into the icy waters, holding herself onto the ice that hadn't cracked yet.

Her body became instantly frozen, her lips were blue and her warm color had faded as she pulled herself onto the solid ice. She had curled herself up into a ball as she felt the cold water suck the warmth from inside her. "You need to mind your surrounding's Rin. You need to be fully aware of your environment. Let this be a lesson to you." Sesshomaru said as he picked her up. She was too cold to move.

_"A lesson? He was teaching me a lesson? Was he was training me or punishing me for fighting?" _Rin thought, confused. Either way, Sesshomaru was now holding her in his arms and she found herself trembling for a different reason.

Sesshomaru had Jaken make a fire as he placed Rin next to it. She was still frozen and her hair and clothes were going to make it impossible to warm up. She knew she had to get her hair pinned up and the wet clothes off. The temperatures were brutal to her delicate skin.

"Ah-Un." She called. The two headed beast made his way over to her. She managed to stand up and take out the blanket. She couldn't wear the other kimono, seeing as it was already ripped to shreds. Finally, she took out some extra string she had for her hair. She tied her hair up tight first. Most of it had already become frozen. Then she turned her back to Sesshomaru and Jaken and stripped her clothes. She was slightly embarrassed, but she knew that survival was more important. Sesshomaru glanced at her naked back. Her skin was pale from the loss of heat, but her whole shape and form was very attractive. He looked away in simple respect for the human. He wasn't sure why. Humans didn't deserve respect.

Jaken had turned his whole body around when she took her wet clothes off. He had no desire to see Rin's naked body. _"Human's are so weak."_ he thought to himself. _"How dare she tempt Lord Sesshomaru by undressing right in front of him! Well, it's not like he would be tempted by a pathetic weak human anyway."_ Jaken rationalized, finding himself hating Rin again for her attempt at becoming the favorite again. Of course that wasn't really the case.

Rin was shivering terribly. She had wrapped the blanket around her body completely and felt at least a little warmth coming back. She laid her kimono out next to the fire so it could dry by morning. She had then moved as close to the fire as possible and was rubbing her whole body to try and get some warmth back.

Sesshomaru felt his teeth clench as he resisted the concern he felt for her. _"She's a despicable human. She disobeyed me. She continues to attempt to belittle me. Let this be a lesson to her._" He told himself, but that urge to protect her was overbearing. _"Where is this desire coming from?"_ he questioned himself. He fought the urge to look at her, but lost. His glance fell on her and he saw that her body was still shaking. He knew that her attempts at warming herself up were not very successful. Her lips were still blue and the shivering was terrible. She would certainly freeze to death if he left her like that. _"Foolish woman! If she had been more mindful of her surroundings..." _he stopped. _"Woman..."_ he noticed that he had called her a woman. She was not a little girl anymore.

"Rin." He said. She looked up, her eyes were pained from the numbing feeling the cold gave her.

"Yes, Lord Sesshomaru?" She barely got the words out of her clattering teeth.

"Sit here." he said as he gestured to the spot next to him.

"What!" Jaken said in shock. "She should learn to warm herself up. This is her own fault!" Jaken tried to convince his Lord of his error. _"That dirty Rin seduced him didn't she? She thought she was so smart showing her naked body to my Lord."_ Jaken thought as he was about to open his mouth again to insult Rin, but he was cut off.

"Shut up, Jaken." Lord Sesshomaru said harshly. Jaken lowered his head in defeat.

By this time Rin had gotten up and walked over to where Sesshomaru was sitting. She sat down next to him against the tree. He wrapped his pelt around her and she couldn't believe how remarkably warm it was. She was always curious if his pelt was a part of him. She now assumed it was, for when she buried her face into it, his facial expression changed slightly, like he had felt it.

Rin fell asleep quickly after that. Her body had ended up leaning against his arm and the warming glow she had before returned to her face. Her lips were bright again and Sesshomaru felt relief.

Sesshomaru noticed a piece of her hair had fallen out of the bun she fashioned and into her face. He took his hand and moved the piece behind her ear so the frozen hair would not steal the warmth from her face. After he done so, he felt himself grow frustrated. _"Why did I do that? Why do I do these things without even thinking about them first?"_ he questioned himself in frustration. _"I should have left her in the village."_ he continued thinking. He didn't know how she had managed to gain such a power over him, but it was maddening.

The morning came slowly for Sesshomaru. He had gotten a little rest, but the maddening arguments he had with himself caused him to want to move as quickly as possible. The sooner he had something to fight, the sooner such nonsense would be off his mind. He couldn't move, however. Something inside him made him want to stay there until Rin had awakened. It was more internal struggle for him.

The sun finally peeked over the mountains and the light rested itself on Rin's lovely face. She stirred at the warm feeling. She opened her eyes and was surprised to see her Lord had not gotten up yet. He was awake, as she knew he would be. He had kept her warm all night and she was incredibly thankful for that.

"Thank you, Lord Sesshomaru." She said quietly. His ears picked up her sweet, gentle voice easily. He simply looked down at her, not sure what to say.

His rationalizing came to a halt. "Don't do something so foolish again." he said. He didn't say it sternly or harshly. He just said it as if it was something she already knew. She smiled at him. His face changed to an annoyed look. "Why do you smile at such comments?" He demanded.

"I don't know." She said happily as she got to her feet. "I would be awfully miserable looking if I didn't smile." She said while thinking. She paused for a moment before continuing. "Without you, I'd be long dead. Is it so bad that I smile at my savior every so often?" She questioned, still smiling.

Sesshomaru didn't respond. She was right. She would be long dead without him. She was such a nuisance to protect and yet he continued to let her come along. He didn't understand his own motives, but he blamed the warming feeling he had in his heart. It was that warming feeling he had become addicted to, that feeling that only Rin could bring out in him, that caused him to act so foolishly. Was this what his father felt?

Rin got behind Ah-Un's large body this time and dressed herself in the dried kimono. Sesshomaru caught himself glancing at her for a moment or two while she dressed. He scolded himself for it. He also considered taking her back to the village, but they were too far north now. His efforts would have been wasted.

Again they journeyed for the third day. Sesshomaru had spend the long day thinking about Rin's ability to fight. He was starting to rationalize that it could actually be useful. Kaede's words were also rampant in his mind. _"Even you will not be around all the time to protect her."_ Maybe it wouldn't hurt that she knew how to protect herself. He sensed that they were close to the boarder.

As much as Sesshomaru hated the idea of Rin fighting, he knew. that as soon as he broke through the boarder the demons would be on them. He had to make sure Rin could handle a dragon demon if they did indeed get separated.

"Rin, Jaken. Wait here." He said. Rin and Jaken complied and waited where they were.

About fifteen minutes later, Sesshomaru had returned and a dragon demon was chasing him. "Rin, slay this beast." He commanded.

Rin immediately complied by taking an arrow and setting it in the bow. "Aimed Shot!" She yelled as she focused her spiritual energy into the arrow. The arrow went flying and hit the dragon in the underbelly. The demon looked annoyed only and switched his target from Sesshomaru to Rin. "Uh-oh." Rin said to herself. Sesshomaru caught her words and watched carefully as the dragon charged her.

Rin placed her bow down and unsheathed her Dragon Fangs. The dragon stopped in front of her. "Pathetic human! You think you can defeat me with stolen weapons?" The dragon's voice was terrifying.

"They aren't stolen!" Rin said sternly. "They were given to me."

"Perhaps I believe you, worm, but it still doesn't change the fact that you can't kill me." The dragon charged on its last words. Rin also charged.

In an instant Rin had rolled underneath the dragon and attempted to slash it with her swords. The slashing did nothing, but she noticed that the poison on her blades was eating away at the dragon's scales. The dragon screeched and jumped back.

_"Now I remember what she said."_ Rin thought as she continuously dodged the dragon's attacks.

_"Remember, Rin, if you ever face one of my brethren they are immune to any kind of weapons you have. You have to break through their scales with poison and then attack with your weapon. Their outsides are immune to weapons, but not to poison and their insides are immune to poison, but not to weapons. Remember that." The dragon woman said._

_"Why are you telling me your people's weaknesses?" Rin had asked._

_"Because my people have been corrupted by their power. They see me as a threat, just as they see the whole world as a threat. They will attack and kill everything soon, and if you and your friends don't know how to fight them, you won't stand a chance." The woman said sadly._

Rin shook the memory out of her head as the dragon had gotten a slash at her arm. Her attempted slashes at the dragon had burned some of the scales away, but not enough to create an opening. She jumped back in retreat.

"Giving up already, human?" The dragon hissed and laughed.

"Not at all." Rin smiled. She lifted her swords up and to the side. They were parallel to one another. "Dragon's Breath!" She yelled as she slashed the two swords in the same motion. Black flower petals flew off the blades towards the dragon. They soon took the shape of small petal-shaped blades. They flung into the dragon, wedging themselves into its skin and melting away its scales. Sesshomaru had a look of surprise on his face.

Rin quickly took out a bottle of black liquid that she had stored in her pouch on the inside of her kimono. She opened it and dipped an arrow into it. She closed the bottle and dropped it to the ground. She pulled back the arrow, "Poisoned Aimed Shot!" she yelled. The arrow filled itself with demonic and spiritual energy. She released and the arrow went into the dragon's underbelly, directly into the heart.

"Impossible!" The dragon screamed as its heart shattered. Rin watched as the dragon collapsed on the ground, taking its last breath.

Sesshomaru was extremely impressed, though he did not show it. He hurried to the ground and observed Rin. Her arm had a deep gash on it, but it didn't seem too severe. Rin was out of breath, but happy at her victory. It felt good to be stronger than something so powerful. Jaken just stood there wide-eyed. He never could have destroyed something like that and he became instantly jealous.

Rin took out her bandages as Sesshomaru picked up the bottle of poison she used. She wrapped her arm up rather effortlessly and was ready to go immediately. Sesshomaru, on the other hand, was curious about the poison. He was unaware of what kind it was.

"It's dragon demon poison. Actually it's more like acid than poison. It burns almost anything it touches, including dragon scales. Certain metals and demon fangs are immune to it. You can have some for your Bakusaiga if you want, Lord Sesshomaru." Rin said nonchalantly as she gathered her weapons.

"I don't need to use their own poison to defeat them." Sesshomaru said, half-insulted. How could she even suggest a thing like that?

Rin just shrugged her shoulders and waiting for Sesshomaru to hand it back. "I'm not as powerful as you are Lord Sesshomaru, so I do need their poison." Sesshomaru sensed her insulted pride as he handed back the poison.

"You did well, Rin." Sesshomaru said. He felt a need to reassure her that he was not upset with her for using the poison. _"You don't need to reassure her! You will give her the wrong idea. There is no reason to justify yourself."_ Sesshomaru battled. His thoughts were fighting his feelings and he felt the struggle inside himself.

Rin just looked up and smiled happily at his approval. She very rarely got it. Sesshomaru felt her smile was a reward. He felt that warmth again, deep inside his heart and it made him feel great. It pushed him to say more nice things to her, but he fought off the urge. He had to keep moving, less he do something even more foolish.

Rin felt happy. She felt as if her Lord was finally warming up to her after all this time. She knew he had never warmed up to anyone except maybe his own father, but she didn't know that for sure. What she did know was that Sesshomaru never complimented her, ever! It was a victory in her mind.

They were closing in on the barrier and Rin suddenly felt extremely nervous. "Here we go." She whispered.

Sesshomaru sensed her fear. "Stay close to me." He ordered. The time had finally come.

**Here we go! As always thank you for reading! I will update soon!**


	4. Chapter 4

*Here it is! Sorry for the long delay. This is my last chapter planned for this story. Depending on the feedback, I may go into it further or do a sequel As always, thank you for reading and for the reviews! Enjoy!*

They came upon the barrier fast. As a precaution, Rin had dipped all her arrows into the poison. It was a good thing she did. As soon as Sesshomaru broke through the barrier, the dragon demons stirred from their dwellings. "We must hurry to the dragon lord." Sesshomaru said as he began flying in the direction of their castle. Rin and Jaken followed on Ah-Un. Dragons had begun to litter the sky and Rin knew this was a perfect time for a barrage.

Sesshomaru just watched as she drew three arrows and pulled them back in the direction of the dragons. "Poison Barrage!" She yelled as she released the arrows. Within the first few meters the arrows split into thirty arrows.

"Wow." Jaken mumbled.

Another few meters and they again split into 900 arrows. They flew a few more meters and again split into 810,000 arrows. Rin's three arrows had split into a full barrage of poison arrows. They hit their targets only a few moments after that and ripped many of the dragon beasts to shreds. The poison arrows had enough speed and force to instantly break through the scales.

Rin continued this process to keep the dragons off of them. Sesshomaru couldn't help but think how useful that technique was at keeping the dragons back. It would give him plenty of time to defeat the lord.

It didn't take long before they were hovering above the main throne room of the castle. "Bakusaiga!" Sesshomaru yelled as he hit the ceiling of the throne room. The entire ceiling crumbled as Bakusaiga deteriorated the stone. Inside was the dragon lord himself.

"So Sesshomaru, you've finally come to claim my land for yourself." He smirked. "I wouldn't count on it."

"You will die by my hand." Sesshomaru said as he charged him. Rin stayed on Ah-Un's back, keeping the dragon demons away as best as she could. She was running out of spiritual energy, though. She wasn't sure how long she could keep this up.

On the ground, Sesshomaru was struggling to pierce the dragon lord's skin. Bakusaiga failed to penetrate. Rin observed Sesshomaru's struggle and saw the dragon lord throw Sesshomaru across the room. "Lord Sesshomaru!" She yelled from above. The dragon lord looked up and laughed.

"A human? A human is keeping my army from aiding me. How amusing." With his long tail the dragon lord sent the sharp tip through Rin's left shoulder. She screamed in pain as she fell off of Ah-Un and into the throne room. She struggled to get up. "Not so strong now, are we?" he laughed again, enjoying her suffering.

Sesshomaru felt a raging anger surge through him. "Rin give me the bottle." He said. Rin took the bottle out and threw it to Sesshomaru. Sesshomaru poured some of the poison onto Bakusaiga. "Let's see how you fair against this."

Sesshomaru charged, slashing the demon with his sword. The poison allowed for his sword to penetrate into the dragon's flesh. "Bakusaiga!" He yelled at the top of his lungs, his anger surging through his body. Bakusaiga was doing its job and the dragon's body began to deteriorate from the inside out until there was nothing left. The dragon lord was dead.

The dragon army stopped charging. They sensed the loss of their master and most retreated, fearing whatever had just killed him. "Jaken. Send a message to my men. Tell them we were victorious." he said.

"Yes, my Lord." Jaken said and he flew off with Ah-Un. Rin turned and smiled to Sesshomaru as she held her arm. She finally felt accepted by him. She felt as if she had helped him do the impossible. She was useful.

Sesshomaru felt himself getting lost in her warmth and in her smile. He felt genuine concern for her and her injury. He was being careless.

"Lord Sesshomaru! Watch out!" Rin yelled as the lady of the lands blasted Sesshomaru with her toxic breath. He did not even sense her. His concern for Rin had clouded his judgment completely. How foolish.

"No!" Rin yelled angrily as Sesshomaru was thrown across the room. She picked up her bow and aimed it at the demon. "Poison Aimed Shot!" She yelled as she pulled the string back.

"Pathetic human!" the demon yelled as she slashed at Rin, causing her to lose her bow, and slamming her into the opposite wall. Rin screamed in pain as the demon started squishing the poor girl.

"Rin!" Sesshomaru yelled as he quickly got to his feet. He was starting to panic. He slashed at the back of the female dragon-demon, but the poison he had on Bakusaiga was used up on the demon lord. Bakusaiga uselessly slashed at her back.

"There is no hope for you, human lover." The demon woman growled as she turned to look at Sesshomaru. Her tail whipped around from behind and went straight through Sesshomaru's back. His rage and concern from Rin had blinded his senses. Bakusaiga fell to from his hands, as he was whipped across the room, tumbling and bleeding.

"Lord Sesshomaru!" Rin yelled, tears falling fiercely from her eyes. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw the nearly empty bottle on the floor. She flung to it and opened it, shaking it wildly onto her sword. The lady of the lands walked slowly towards Sesshomaru, laughing sadistically.

"Hey you ugly, sorry excuse for a demon!" Rin taunted. She was standing in the middle of the room, with one sword in her hands.

The demon turned. "Why you wretched little brat. I will devour you right here and now!" The demon began to charge.

"Just try it." Rin whispered, waiting for the demon to strike. The demon was only a step away from Rin, when Rin pushed the sword through the scales and deep into her heart. The dragon's face was so close to her's, she could feel the last steamy breaths on her skin. Gurgling sighs left the dragon's mouth as she collapsed on the floor in front of Rin. She did it. She killed the demon.

Rin looked up after a few moments of shock. She saw her lord laying on his back, motionless. She ignored the pain in her shoulder and ran to him as quickly as she could. "Lord Sesshomaru!" She said as she kneeled down next to him. His eyes were closed and the wound was bleeding badly. She lifted his head into her lap and put pressure on the wound. "Lord Sesshomaru, please answer me!" She begged. Tears were streaming down her face and several drops had falling on to her lord's paling features. "Lord Sesshomaru! You can't let this happen. You would never let such a weak demon kill you. You would never let something that I could kill, defeat you." She said in a quivering voice.

"You're right, I wouldn't." He responded. He opened his eyes and saw her face light up. He saw the relief flow through her. He could barely move and cursed himself for not being more aware.

"You need to be aware of your environment, Lord Sesshomaru." Rin joked as she choked on more tears.

He couldn't help himself. He smiled and let out a quiet laugh. She never dared joking with him in that way before, but she was right. She was right. He was so foolish to let her smile distract him, to let himself fall into such a rage that he completely disregarded everything around him. He had never before made such a terrible error. The worst part was, he didn't feel bad about making the error. He didn't feel ashamed or weak. All he felt was a desire to feel her warmth.

Rin was shocked that she got him to smile, let alone laugh. She let out a sobbing laugh as well.

He lifted his hand to her cheek, still in a lot of pain. He gently wiped away a tear with his thumb. "Why the tears, Rin?" he whispered.

Her face turned beat red. She put her hand on his and held it there. "You know why." She said quietly. The warmth had grown significantly inside his heart. He was too weakened to fight it any longer. His spirit was broken and at this moment, he couldn't care less about his pride. Her concern comforted him.

"Tell me why." he insisted.

She looked at him with surprise. She thought he wouldn't want to hear the words that were breaking out of her heart. She couldn't keep them in anymore, not when he was insisting to know. Her eyes were staring off to the floor as she searched for the courage to tell him.

He pushed her face to look at his. He caught her eyes with his and she couldn't hold it in any longer. "I love you, Lord Sesshomaru." She admitted. "I love you, even if you don't love me back." He saw embarrassment flood over her face as she looked away again. She was ashamed of herself for being so weak. She was ashamed that she admitted her weakness to him.

"Rin." He said. She moved her gaze back to his. "I don't know what love feels like, but I know at the very least you do something to me that I don't understand. I feel warmth from you. I feel an unbearable desire to protect you. I need to see you smile and laugh and sing. I can't fight it any longer, Rin. You are my weakness." He said, his face looking defeated. He was disappointed in himself for not fighting it. The damage done to his body had weakened his resolve. All he wanted was to feel her warmth.

"I can be your strength, too." She whispered, moving her head closer to his. She was frightened, but she had waited for this moment for years.

"I knew it." A voice said from behind. "I saw it in her eyes when we first met. I knew she was in love with you, Sesshomaru. I just had to know if you truly loved her back." Kimiko entered the throne room from above.

"Lady Kimiko." Rin said as she helped Sesshomaru lean his back against the throne.

"You filthy human. You are his weakness. You are the reason he is injured." She hissed. "I will make sure he does not make this mistake again." Rin and Sesshomaru saw her readying herself for battle. "Here I come."

"Kimiko, no!" Sesshomaru shouted, but it was too late. She had already begun her charge to Rin. Rin dodged her charge, throwing herself to the ground, and Sesshomaru only felt a slight backlash. He felt so helpless watching them fight. He could do nothing but sit and wait. _"That damn dragon! How did she do so much damage? How did I not sense her attack?"_ Any movement at all, and his wound would only get worse.

Kimiko charged again, this time throwing Rin across the room. The wound on her shoulder hindered her ability to move. Sesshomaru felt completely helpless. He never had wanted to feel this way. This was what his father had felt when he made the same foolish mistakes. He couldn't let this happen.

Kimiko jumped on Rin slamming her knee into Rin's chest. Rin gasped for air. "How does it feel, little human? How does it feel to be so insignificant?" Kimiko smiled as she began to wrap her fingers around Rin's neck. Rin fought it as much as she could. "I'm going to watch you slowly die."

Sesshomaru panicked. He saw one of Rin's Kodachi near him and he forced himself to it. It burned when he touched it, but he had no choice. "Rin!" He called as he threw it to her. She picked it up off the ground quickly and swiped it at her. Kimiko jumped back to dodge it. "I will not let who you are weaken me. I will fight to kill an attacker, no matter who they are. I will kill you even if you are the mother to Sesshomaru's pups." Rin said as she began a charge. Kimiko dodged and clawed at her as she passed. She slashed some of Rin's skin clean off. Rin fell down to one knee.

"Foolish human. You would only lead to his demise." Kimiko said as she charged for a final blow.

Rin felt a need to survive. She had waited so long to finally be with her Lord, and she was not going to let it be taken away. She got to her feet and side stepped slightly, allowing Kimiko to hit her, but also allowing her sword to stab into the demon Lady. Kimiko jumped back in surprise. She noticed a sizable wound in her right side.

Rin was feeling especially weak. The last charge Kimiko gave had opened Rin's shoulder wound even more. She felt blood dripping down her arm. She glanced quickly over to her second Kodachi that was only a leap from her.

"You will die for that." Kimiko roared as her eyes started turning red. She ran at Rin, as fast as she was able. Rin leaped towards the other Kodachi and managed to get it before Kimiko made contact. She grabbed the second Kodachi and raised it. She then crossed the two Kodachi blades together. "Dancing Dragons." She said quietly and swiped her swords in the direction of Kimiko. In an instant, two tornados came swirling out of the blades. Each one was black with poison and inside the spinning funnels were sharp round blades.

Kimiko was caught off guard and was never expecting a demon attack from a human. In an instant the tornadoes danced together, wrapping themselves around Kimiko. Her body was ripped to shreds by the blades and then poison engulfed the remains. They then dissipated.

Rin dropped to her knees, exhaustion overwhelming her body. She had taken quite a beating. She slipped the Kodachi away and held her wound. It was still bleeding.

Sesshomaru forced himself up, holding the large wound on his chest. He couldn't believe Rin's power. She was strong enough to destroy his mate. She was stronger than the mate who produced his heirs. He was beside himself.

He walked over to her, feeling slightly better from getting that little time to recuperate. She looked up at him, tears streaming down her face. "I'm so sorry, Lord Sesshomaru. I…I just…"

Sesshomaru kneeled down and wrapped his arms around her. She buried her face in his chest and cried. "Rin…" Sesshomaru whispered as he searched for the words to comfort her. "I love you."

The words made her breath catch. She stopped her crying and raised her head to him. His face was sincere and she could barely believe the words that had come from his mouth after killing his mate.

"But I killed Kimiko…"

"That despicable creature has been abusing my pups since they were born. She was a poor choice and I regret not looking beyond her strength." He said coldly. Rin was almost frightened by Sesshomaru's cold attitude, but reminded herself that she was dealing with a demon here and this same demon had tried on several occasions to kill his own brother. "Besides, you merely proved you were stronger than her. She was a fool to challenge you." Sesshomaru finished.

Rin didn't know how to respond. It was so normal for Sesshomaru to speak like that, but it wasn't usual that he would be speaking in her favor. She smiled lightly and Sesshomaru felt victory from it. Rin wrapped her arms around him and buried herself into him. It felt so wonderful to have his approval.

Sesshomaru was slightly uneasy about Rin showing so much affection, but it did feel wonderful. He knew that giving in to the warmth was weakness, but he rationalized around it. He would prove he was strong enough to keep this weakness and still remain the strongest demon. His desire for her was overwhelming.

He lifted her face so that she would look at him. Her face was there, waiting patiently for him. He brought his lips to hers and gently kissed her. Rin felt an explosion of warmth flow through her, as the unfamiliar sensation coursed through her body. Sesshomaru had moved his hand to her face, cupping her cheek with his palm and letting his fingers caress her face. When their lips finally broke, their faces remained close. Their foreheads were touching and noses would brush up against each other often. They would move in close to kiss again, allowing the warmth to consume them both.

After several minutes, Rin suggested finding a place for him to rest, to repair the wound. "I am fine." He said reassuringly. "It is healing already." He pointed to the wound and Rin noticed it was already shrinking in size.

Sesshomaru turned his attention to the wound on her shoulder. "Rin let me fix that wound." He said as he gently touched the outside of her shoulder. She kneeled there obediently as he went back to the thrones that were set against the walls. There were silk throws that rested casually on the elegant seats. Sesshomaru took one and brought it back over. By this time, Rin had already slipped her kimono off of her shoulder to reveal the wound. She held her kimono under her arm and against her breast to hide any extra skin that didn't need to be revealed. She felt especially modest now that her feelings and his feelings had been let out into the open.

Sesshomaru ripped some pieces of cloth from the silk throws. He had Rin help him create some make-shift bandages. He had to clean the wound first. "I'll be right back, Rin." He said as he kissed her on the forehead. He flew out the top of the ceiling and headed towards a garden pond he saw on his way in.

He returned with some water and used it to clean her wound. "Thank you, my Lord." Rin said as Sesshomaru finished wrapping up the wound. He responded by caressing her face. "How are you feeling, Lord Sesshomaru?" She asked concerned. He seemed to be recovering quickly.

"I'm fine; there is no need to be concerned." He said. He spoke gentler and warmer. He had dropped his defenses around her, something he hadn't done before with anyone. "Are you hungry, Rin?" he asked after her stomach made a loud growl. She nodded as she held her stomach with embarrassment. "Come." He said as he took her hand. He lifted her to her feet and absorbed her smile.

They went out to the garden, where winter berry bushes filled the area. They were accompanied by winter flowers and shrubbery. Rin glowed as she ran from bush to bush, picking her favorite winter berries and indulging. When she had her fill, she sat in the middle of the garden and Sesshomaru joined her.

"What do we do now, Lord Sesshomaru?" Rin asked. Several hours had passed as the two continued to warm up to each other in this new found perspective.

"We wait. It will be six days before my men reach us. We have to make sure no dragon demons try to retake these lands." Sesshomaru said as Rin laid her head in his lap, looking up at his face. Her black hair flowed over his legs.

"And after that?" Rin continued.

Sesshomaru looked down at her, surprisingly contented at answering her curiosity. "My men will push any enemies out of our territory and we will settle ourselves here."

Rin smiled as she fiddled with a flower she had picked. She was spinning it in-between her thumb and forefinger. "I want to be your strength, Lord Sesshomaru." She said suddenly.

Sesshomaru was slightly startled at her statement. He ran his fingers through her hair. "You are, Rin." He said as he looked towards the castle. He saw his new empire. "Just knowing that you can take care of yourself makes it that much easier for me to open my heart to you. It's something I would have never imagined myself doing, especially with a human." Sesshomaru admitted.

Rin went from looking at the sky to looking at his face. "Do you wish to hide our feelings for one another when the others come?" Rin asked. He looked down at her, unsure.

"It would probably be wise, at least until they warm up to you as well." Sesshomaru admitted.

"At least we have six days alone together." Rin said sweetly. Sesshomaru leaned down to kiss her, his hair flowing over her. Now that he had revealed his desires for her, he didn't hesitate to show his affection. He thought he was being greedy, but couldn't help but indulge in his desire for her. He was starting to understand humans and their desires for affection with others. He now understood that demons don't have different hearts, they just choose to cover up their emotions to avoid weaknesses and death. They teach their kin to not value such things as love and friendship, for the cost was often much greater than the reward. _"The cost is so much greater than the reward, but perhaps it's worth it. Perhaps the weakness they choose over and over again is worth the reward of warmth and...happiness."_ The thought scared him slightly. _"Happiness?"_ He never thought he would know such a thing. Rin had shown him.

"I'm going to see if they have hot springs. I need to wash up." Rin said as she lifted her head off of Sesshomaru's lap. Sesshomaru didn't say anything, he just cracked a tiny smile as she turned to face him one last time before making her way back to the castle.

She knew there had to be a place to wash somewhere. Elegant demons tended to be very clean and these dragon demons were very elegant. After poking her head through several doors, she finally found one that lead to an outdoor spring. There was a windowless wall built around it to keep people out, but the ceiling was open.

Rin was extremely excited. She stripped her clothes and gently let her body float down into the spring. she made sure not to go too far down. She didn't want to ruin the bandage Sesshomaru had made for her. She leaned her head back against a rock and closed her eyes. "Ah, this feels so much better." she said as her muscles relaxed and the aches seemed to melt away.

"Enjoying the springs?" A woman's voice called. Startled, Rin grabbed her Kodachi.

"Who's there?" Rin called.

"Oh, put my swords away. It's only me." The woman's voice said.

"Miku?" Rin questioned.

The woman chuckled. "How did you guess?" She jumped down from the top of the wall in front of the spring. "Good to see you are alright, Rin. I came as soon as I sensed the break in the barrier."

"What are you doing here? Did you come back for your swords?" Rin asked curiously as she tightened her grip around the Kodachi.

"Rin." Sesshomaru said from the doorway. Rin jumped in embarrassment, realizing she was standing halfway out of the water. She sunk back down to hide her body from Sesshomaru. "Who is she?" He asked curiously.

"Her name is Miku and she's the dragon that gave me her weapons and demonic power." Rin said, her arms crossed in front of her chest and her face glowing red.

"Why are you embarrassed? He's your man isn't he? You shouldn't be modest around him." Miku said casually. It just made Rin more embarrassed.

"Why did you give up your power?" Sesshomaru asked curiously. If he was correct, Miku was the daughter of the dragon lord, the heir to the empire. No demon would give up that sort of power, especially to a human.

Miku let a coy smile show. "I suppose _you _might understand, if you truly wish to hear what I have to say." Miku said with a smile. Sesshomaru's face didn't change. He continued to glare at her. He was prepared the moment she entered the castle. He felt her presence immediately.

Miku didn't wait for a response from him, most likely because she knew she wouldn't get one. "My father raised me much like any other father would raise a demon child, with hate and anger. I knew nothing of compassion or love or anything of that sort. Much like you _Lord_ Sesshomaru." She gave a sarcastic tone when addressing him.

"When I grew into my adolescent state I began exploring. I would destroy nearby human villages and laugh as I killed the helpless pathetic humans that lived in them. There was one, however, that caught my attention. I had killed his entire village. He was a young man, perhaps he was just stupid, but he faced me with no fear at all. I toyed with him, but no matter how many times he was struck down, he didn't lose that fearlessness. He didn't let his resolve break. He was going to fight me until his death."

"Perhaps it was a weakness on my part, but I kept him. He was my pet. I was curious about him, he was unlike any other human I met. Most just cowered and hid in the corner, but he was strong. When I brought him home, many of my brethren thought I was weak and pathetic. My father was furious with me and told me to get rid of him. I didn't, of course. Instead I left and traveled, allowing him with me." Miku was smiling at this point.

"During my travels with him, I let myself get complacent. I let my guard down and he found a way into my heart. He went from being my pet to being my lover. I had done the unthinkable, but he did something to me that I cannot describe. It was like my whole body would warm when he was around me. I would actually get giddy, or so he told me. It was as if he filled an empty place in my heart that had been empty since the day I was born."

"When I had grown bored of traveling, I returned home. By this time I had two of his children, half demons. I returned home to prove a point to my father, that not all humans were bad. I was very foolish." Miku let out a sad chuckle as if to laugh at her own mistake.

"When I returned, my father was absolutely furious. His rage overcame him and he slaughtered my love and two children with one swipe of his weapon. I slipped into a full-fledged rage, attempting to kill him. I failed and was forced out of my own homeland. I had nothing left." Miku's face turned grim as she remembered the horrible time.

After a few moments of silence, she looked at Rin. "Rin, I remembered you from several years ago. I had seen you travel with Lord Sesshomaru and grew curious. I saw the admiration in your eyes and it reminded me of my love. He looked at me with those same kind of eyes. When I had heard rumors that Lord Sesshomaru was looking to take the dragon lands, I saw my chance for revenge. I searched for you everywhere and was concerned when I did not see you with your Lord. I soon found you in that nearby village."

"I gathered information from the villagers and discovered he left you there to learn to be human since you had been traveling with him for so long. They also said that you were planning on going with him. I knew that Lord Sesshomaru wouldn't stand a chance against my father's scales. I gave you the power he needed and taught you how to use it. The fact that my plan worked so well actually surprises me. For one, if Lord Sesshomaru did truly care for you, I thought he would never let you go with him. Second, I thought he was too full of himself to actually let you assist him. I see now, though, that my fears were for nothing."

Miku looked up from Rin to Sesshomaru who was still watching her closely. "Lord Sesshomaru, you fell in love with this girl like I fell in love with that human man. You know what it's like to have that empty void filled. You know what it's like to be happy."

Sesshomaru cautiously responded. "Perhaps."

"Then listen to me well, Lord Sesshomaru. As easily as you obtained it, is as easy as it can be taken away. I've given my weapons and abilities to Rin in hopes that she can protect herself if ever someone opposed her for your sake. I want her to be your strength, because my love could not. Everything was taken from me and the same should not happen to you." She paused for a moment.

"Not all humans are bad. The majority are corrupt, cowardly, pathetic, evil, and stupid among other things. It is the few, however, that aren't that makes their race worth keeping around. It is those few pure and strong humans that make this world warm and it would be senseless to lose those few. Those few need to be protected, so that is what I must do. I use the little demonic power I have left to protect those that deserve to be protected, to make this world smile a little more."

Miku turned to leave. "You are welcome to stay here, if you wish." Sesshomaru said from the doorway.

"Thank you, but I have humans to tend to. Perhaps I will take you up on that offer for future visitations. I would much like to spend some time here." She had turned and smiled.

"Of course." Rin said.

"Oh, and thank you. You may have not done it intentionally, but my true family can now rest in peace. Now if you'll excuse me, I must repent for all the lives I have taken. Let the winds guide you." And with those final words, she was gone.

Rin sat there silently for a few moments. She was absorbing the tale that was told to her and was disgusted by the dragon lord that had destroyed Miku's family. She felt hurt for her.

"Rin, you should get out. You are pruning." Rin looked down at her hands and they were shriveled like prunes.

She let out an embarrassed laugh, "Oops."

Sesshomaru had taken off his armor and settled in to his new home. He was wearing his white kimono, which he now took off. He reached his hand towards Rin and beckoned her to take it. She did as she let her other arm cover her breasts. She came out of the water and as soon as her foot hit the stone floor, Sesshomaru wrapped his kimono around her naked body.

"You should get some rest." He said as he guided her out of the springs, her kimono was still hanging on the wall and her Kodachi were in her hands.

Sesshomaru had found the bedroom with the largest bed. The bed was huge and was covered with silk sheets. "Wow!" Rin said in amazement as she placed the Kodachi on the floor. "I get to sleep in that?" her voice was filled with excitement. It had been a very long time before she had gotten to sleep in anything so comfortable.

With Sesshomaru's nod, she ran up to the bed and jumped right in. She let Sesshomaru's kimono open up a little so she could feel the silk on her naked skin. It was wonderful.

Sesshomaru closed the door behind him and began making himself comfortable as well. He sat close next to her, watching her enjoy the comfort of the bed. Eventually he grew impatient with himself. He could not resist any longer. He leaned down and kissed her passionately on the lips. He ran his hands underneath the kimono and gently caressed her sides and stomach. He eventually wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close to him, getting a little more aggressive and impatient. He felt himself wanting her, desiring her.

"Lord Sesshomaru, please wait." Rin called out nervously as he held onto her tightly. He had moved to kissing her neck and shoulder. He was losing himself in her.

It took every last ounce of energy he had to resist his urges. He stopped and looked at Rin. "What's wrong, Rin?" He clenched his one fists to help himself keep control. The kimono had opened up and her beautiful body had revealed itself to him. She was trembling in his grasp and he felt his control returning more. He did not want her to fear him.

"I-I'm just a bit nervous. I've never done anything like this before." She admitted shyly.

He couldn't help the small smile that appeared on his lips. It wasn't fear, it was nervousness. "I apologize, Rin. I'll go more slow." he said as he gently laid her on the bed. She was his, and he needed her more than anything.

Behind the closed door, Sesshomaru and Rin spent their first intimate night together. Sesshomaru took it slow and gentle with her, for it was her first time. He never imagined how wonderful it would be to mate with someone he actually loved and cared for. Kimiko was just there to birth his heirs, but Rin was his woman. She was what made him whole and it made a world of difference.

It was late and Rin had fallen asleep on his chest. Her small body moved slowly up and down with each breath he took. He looked at her, smiling, and completely content. _"I owe you an apology, Father."_ He thought to himself. _"This is what you felt with that human woman. This warmth, these feelings, this happiness is what you felt and it's what I feel now. How wrong I was."_ Sesshomaru paused in his thinking, too exhausted to really continue. He now had everything he could ever hope for, his empire, his pups, and a mate he truly cared for. He had happiness.

_"Six days from now, my men will come, my pups will come, and life will have to resume as planned. But for now, I think I'm going to enjoy every minute I have just enjoying a warm heart."_

_The End_

_*_Thank you all for reading! Like I said, depending on feedback I may move forward with this most likely with a sequel. Hope you enjoyed it and I look forward to writing my next story!*


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